Liverpool 2-0 Bologna (UEFA Champions League Group Stages)
I wanted Aston Villa v Bayern Munich, but I can’t really complain in being given the second biggest Champions League fixture in England on the night.
Liverpool under Arne Slot are probably doing better than expected after the Dutchman took the reigns from the legendary Jurgen Klopp in the summer, Bologna having their own managerial change as the impressive Thiago Motta, the man who led the club to their first Champions League qualification since the old European Cup days of 1964, he left to join Juventus and has been replaced by Vincenzo Itliano, who things have not been going too well for, despite some solid performances they have only won once this season, although on the flip reverse, they have only lost once too.
Plenty of draws for a club based in the culinary capital of Italy, medieval Bologna was supposed to be the New York of its day with high rise tower buildings as prominent as the eye can see, from a football perspective the club formed in 1909 have seven Serie A titles the last of which coming in 1963/64, the following season they lost to Anderlecht over two legs in the preliminary round of Europe’s most prestigious KO cup, their first match back in the competition a 0-0 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk last month, Bologna indebted to their goalkeeper Skorupski who saved an early Sudakov penalty to ensure their start to this year’s tournament remains unbeaten.
Liverpool got off to a winning start against Italian opposition after beating Milan in the San Siro. They’ll be favourites to win tonight and will be one of the favourites to win a competition which they have already won six times previously.
I’m out the door for 2pm, across the A50 through Stoke and up the M6 and west M62 and in two hours flat reach the outskirts of Liverpool, I’m through Huyton and West Derby (which is nice) before pulling up near an Asda on Utting Avenue, it’s about as close you can get to parking without permit near Anfield, still a good 30 minutes walk I decide not to park at one of the allocated car parks due to ease of access in getting out. Liverpool is simply a long slow drag to leave, so if I’m as far away from the ground as possible, the better for a faster exit.
The Venue
It’s a long walk down the Utting Avenue but straight, as I pass a few parked fan coaches by Anfield Cemetery and Stanley Park. I’ve plenty of time so take the leafy walk, through the park to take a look at the newly finished Anfield Road Stand, I’m through the Shankly Gates and walking past the back of the huge Kenny Dalglish Stand, around the back of the Kop where there’s the Bill Shankly Statue, doors for museum and stadium tour are guarded, there’s a fan area with huge stage set up on the concourse, music playing outside the club shop, the walk around the back of the Main Stand is littered with fans names scribed into the paving slabs, then there’s the memorial for the 97.
I have many friends and family who was at the game at Hillsborough in 1989 and it’s been my first chance to properly take in the memorial, as I walk over and doff my cap you can’t help feel emotional as supporters from all over, come and pay their respects.
There’s a woman in a red and white scarf in tears as she prays a wish and touches the stone with a kiss, wiping away a tear, I can’t imagine what the families have had to suffer over the years, nobody should go to a game of football and not come back, the woman probably a season ticket holder and relative of one tragically killed, perhaps she does this every game, and has done for 35 years. The magnitude of the disaster really resonates when you witness someone’s pain first hand.
As I walk back down towards the media entrance to grab my accreditation, I’m directed to a side door and lift to take me up to the gantry, where inside the stadium I get a stunning view of one of the world’s best football theatres.
Red seats down below the pitch perfect with Champions League tifo circling the half way line, the skies darkening above as I pitch up my laptop and get ready for the main event.
The Game
I’m joined by a fellow scout on kick off, we are seated in front of TalkSport radio and next to Swedish TV where Freddie Ljundberg is co commentating in a very warm looking Russian hat.
We’re busy chatting but stop to take in the Liverpool chorus of You’ll never walk alone” before the teams appear and the home fans strangely boo the Champions League anthem.
The match itself gets underway with the expectancy of Liverpool dominating, and Bologna sit off happy and content to perhaps allow the home side to lay first glove.
That is done as Mo Salah prods a lovely ball into the area where Alexis Mac Alllister is running in, he slots home from inside the six yard box to give Liverpool the lead and ease any nerves if ever the home team fans were in doubt.
It’s not that sort of match for me, Liverpool are good, too good, fluid up front they are prone to a defensive lapse but Bologna don’t have the tools to really scare them. Ndoye does hit a post via a deflection, then cracks the bottom of the upright after being given too much time inside the area, Dallinga has a goal ruled rightly out for offside, but those moments aside, Liverpool are largely in control, probing and passing to get their forward line some service.
The Score
It’s only one at half time but there’s more of the same in the second half as Liverpool have the ball, Bologna have their moments, Orsolini has a shot saved but at the other end Mo Salah goes close cutting in and whipping one wide, before he finally drains the opposition into submission, again cutting in and curling home after good work from Szoboszlai, there’s only three guarantees in the life of a Liverpudlian, deaths, taxes and that Mo Salah will at some point cut in off the right onto the left foot and curl home a goal. He really is the Egyptian King.
That goal gives a lift to the home crowd who are mostly out sung by a vocal away support, Bologna still have their moments late on as English born substitute Samuel Iling Junior fires wide, but Liverpool are good value in having that cutting edge when it matters, the Italians are plucky runners up and will fly home holding their heads up high despite taking nothing from the game.
The Stars
Ryan Gravenberch is a player who I feel has become revitalised under Slot, lean and silky he’s full of confidence, driving forward and ticking things along in that midfield centre of three.
He has two great partners in crime in Alexis Mac Allister who’s hard working up and down with grit and energy, in Dominik Szoboszlai who has that touch of elegance and being equally as hard working, whilst Trent Alexander-Arnold from right back often joins in, getting forward he pops up in field, out wide, creating from anywhere he stands, a player who like Gravenberch, looks to be at the top of his game right now.
Luis Diaz was one that worked his socks off but he’s one that might frustrate, I don’t see him as a twenty goal a season scorer, but in Mo Salah they certainly have that, world class quality at the ripe old age of 32.
Bologna didn’t disappoint, they have some young players who could kick on to bigger things, defensively they were tested, but for long periods stood up, in Beukema and Lucumi they have a good central partnership, in right back Stefan Posch they have a combative defender who I really like.
In midfield Kacper Urbanski aged just 20, impressed next to Croatian Nikola Moro and in front of skipper Remo Freuler, whilst out wide I really like Dan Ndoye on the left but for his goal contribution, on the other flank Riccardo Orsolini is so typically Italian, a throw back to 1990’s channel four, he grafts and shouts annoyed at Referees, back heels the ball when he probably shouldn’t, looks often awkward before producing some magic, a player now in his eighth season at Bologna, but one I’m sure is a huge fans favourite.
Another player worth a mention is 24-year-old Dutch striker Thijs Dallinga, he ran around often on his own and had a goal chalked off, he played well and looked like a threat in behind, his goal record at previous clubs has been very good and he could be a star to keep an eye on in Serie A.
The Verdict
A routine win for Liverpool but they didn’t always have it their own way. They’ll have stiffer tests to come whilst Bologna will have easier opponents to overcome.
If Arne Slot can win something in his first season at Anfield, I really think it will be a huge hit from a Coach I certainly had my doubts about when coming into the job, he seems to have the side ticking along nicely, not as full thrust as Gegenpressing Klopp, but with a bit more control and patience, they might have a real good go at winning this competition.
Bologna are organised, solid, will probably finish somewhere near mid table in Serie A due simply to the strain on squad resources from the Champions League, which they may eventually qualify for the latter stages of, but they’ve not given themselves the best start, and it may be tight to get there.
My concern in Italy is that Coaches are not given much time, should Vincenzo Italiano fail to win many more matches in the next few weeks, it could be pressure mounting on his position already, which could leave Bologna with uncertain destiny for the remainder of the campaign.
The Teams
Liverpool: Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold (Conor Bradley 85), Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson (Kostas Tsimikas 71), Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch (Curtis Jones 86), Alexis Mac Allister, Mo Salah, Darwen Nunez (Diogo Jota 61), Luis Diaz (Cody Gakpo 72).
Bologna: Lukasz Skorupski, Stefan Posch, Sam Beukema (Nicolo Casale 62), Jhon Lucami, Joan Miranda, Riccardo Orsolini, Nikola Moro, Remo Freuler (Giovanni Fabbian 84), Kacper Urbanski (Michel Aebischer 62), Dan Ndoye (Samuel Iling Junior 79), Thijs Dalinga (Santiago Castro 79).
8:00pm Kick Off. Wednesday 2nd October 2024, Anfield, Liverpool (att 58,816).
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